Visual tracer system for fiber optic cable

Abstract

A fiber optic cable includes a first optical fiber, a jacket, and a second optical fiber. The first optical fiber includes a glass core and cladding. The glass core is configured to provide controlled transmission of light through the fiber optic cable for high-speed data communication. The jacket has an interior surface that defines a conduit through which the first optical fiber extends. The jacket further has an exterior surface that defines the outside of the fiber optic cable. The second optical fiber is integrated with the exterior surface of the jacket.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A fiber optic cable, comprising:
 a first optical fiber comprising a glass core and cladding, wherein the glass core is configured to provide controlled transmission of light through the fiber optic cable for high-speed data communication; 
 a jacket having an interior surface that defines a conduit through which the first optical fiber extends, and further having an exterior surface that defines the outside of the fiber optic cable; and 
 a second optical fiber that is integrated with the exterior surface of the jacket, 
 wherein second optical fiber is integrated with the exterior surface of the jacket such that when the jacket is bent to an angle, the second optical fiber is oriented at the bend to receive light provided by an external light source directed toward the second optical fiber for transmission of the light by the second optical fiber, 
 wherein the angle corresponds to a bend radius that is greater than the minimum bend radius of the first optical fiber, and 
 wherein the second optical fiber has at least twice the attenuation of visible light of the first optical fiber. 
 
     
     
       2. The fiber optic cable of  claim 1 , wherein jacket is configured to allow orientation of the second optical fiber to receive light provided by the external light source at any position along the length of the jacket. 
     
     
       3. The fiber optic cable of  claim 1 , wherein the second optical fiber is helically wound around and integrated with the exterior surface of the jacket. 
     
     
       4. The fiber optic cable of  claim 1 , wherein structure of the jacket keeps light within the second optical fiber at locations along the cable where the second optical fiber is not exposed, thereby increasing the distances that light may travel through the second optical fiber without being attenuated. 
     
     
       5. A method of manufacturing a cable, comprising:
 extruding a jacket to surround a first optical fiber comprising a glass core and cladding, wherein the glass core is configured to provide controlled transmission of light through the cable for high-speed data communication; and 
 winding around and integrating a second optical fiber with an exterior surface of the jacket, wherein the optical fiber is configured to release, along a length of the second optical fiber, at least some of light passed through the second optical fiber such that the released light is visible along the exterior surface of the jacket, thereby providing a visual trace, wherein positioning of the second optical fiber facilitates view-ability of the second optical fiber without regard to orientation of the cable and mitigates stresses on the second optical fiber when the cable is in bending, 
 wherein the second optical fiber is plastic, and wherein the extruding step further includes co-extruding the second optical fiber with the jacket such that the second optical fiber is at least partially embedded in the jacket and is extruded with a round cross section. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , wherein the plastic of the second optical fiber is a single material, and wherein the material of the jacket has a lesser index of refraction than the plastic of the second optical fiber such that the material of the jacket serves as cladding for the second optical fiber. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 5 , wherein the second optical fiber is helically wound around and integrated with the exterior of the jacket. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the second optical fiber is one of two or more second optical fibers helically wound around the exterior surface of the jacket. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the second optical fibers are wound in the same direction. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the second optical fibers are counter-helically wound to crisscross one another. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 5 , further comprising a rotating feeder distributing material of the second optical fiber. 
     
     
       12. A fiber optic cable, comprising:
 a first optical fiber comprising a glass core and cladding, wherein the glass core is configured to provide controlled transmission of light through the fiber optic cable for high-speed data communication; 
 a jacket having an interior surface that defines a conduit through which the first optical fiber extends, and further having an exterior surface that defines the outside of the fiber optic cable; and 
 a second optical fiber that is integrated with the exterior surface of the jacket, 
 wherein second optical fiber is integrated with the exterior surface of the jacket such that when the jacket is bent to an angle, the second optical fiber is oriented at the bend to receive light provided by an external light source directed toward the second optical fiber for transmission of the light by the second optical fiber, and 
 wherein thickness of material between the second optical fiber and the exterior surface of the jacket varies along the length of the cable to allow light to escape the jacket from the second optical cable at discrete positions or intervals. 
 
     
     
       13. A fiber optic cable, comprising:
 a first optical fiber comprising a glass core and cladding, wherein the glass core is configured to provide controlled transmission of light through the fiber optic cable for high-speed data communication; 
 a jacket having an interior surface that defines a conduit through which the first optical fiber extends, and further having an exterior surface that defines the outside of the fiber optic cable; and 
 a second optical fiber that is integrated with the exterior surface of the jacket, 
 wherein second optical fiber is integrated with the exterior surface of the jacket such that when the jacket is bent to an angle, the second optical fiber is oriented at the bend to receive light provided by an external light source directed toward the second optical fiber for transmission of the light by the second optical fiber, and 
 wherein the second optical fiber is one of a plurality of second optical fibers, each of discrete lengths greater than a meter and less than ten meters that are integrated with the exterior surface of the jacket of the fiber optic cable, wherein the discrete lengths of second optical fibers are positioned sequentially in at least one of in series and in parallel with one another longitudinally along the length of the cable, wherein light directed into one of the second optical fibers primarily illuminates only that particular one of the second optical fibers, whereby an operator may identify and follow the cable by lighting one of the discrete lengths of the second optical fibers and following that second optical fiber to the next discrete length, lighting that next discrete length of the second optical fibers, and continuing the process until reaching a desired position along the cable such as an end of the cable.